Apparatus for automatically stopping weaving machine upon breakage of warp yarn

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for automatically stopping a weaving machine upon breakage of a warp yarn wherein a broken warp yarn is positively and quickly withdrawn from the system of warp yarns without resorting to a dropper. The details and merits of the construction will be made clear.

United States Patent Nishiguchi et a1.

[451 Sept. 2, 1975 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING WEAVING MACHINE UPON BREAKAGE OF WARP YARN Inventors: Narachiyo Nishiguchi, Osaka; Toshio Mitsuya, Takefu, both of Japan Assignee: Nishiki Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Osaka, Japan Filed: July 23, 1974 Appl. No.: 491,035

Foreign Application Priority Data July 25, 1973 Japan 48-84375 Dec. 27, 1973 Japan 49-1486 Mar. 20, 1974 Japan.... 49-32005[U] June 25, 1974 Japan.... 49-75050[U] US. Cl 139/353; 139/352 Int. Cl. D03D 51/20 Field of Search 139/349, 350, 352, 353

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,233,552 3/1941 Penland 139/353 2,538,518 1/1951 Heijink 139/352 2,650,623 9/1953 Robin 139/352 3,677,307 7/1972 Fiorucci 139/353 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 632,701 10/1927v France 139/349 Primary ExaminerMervin Stein Assistant ExaminerSteven Hawkins Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hall & Houghton [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for automatically stopping a weaving machine upon breakage of a warp yarn wherein a broken warp yam is positively and quickly withdrawn from the system of warp yarns without resorting to a dropper. The details and merits of the construction will be made clear.

5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED 21975 3, 982, 534

sum u o g JJIHJHHHIH WEAVING MACHINE UPON BREAKAGE OF WARP YARN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically stopping a weaving machine upon breakage of a warp yarn.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventionally, the apparatus used most widely for automatically stopping a weaving machine upon breakage of a warp yarn has been of the dropper type. The dropper type, however, uses the same number of droppers that of warp yarns, so that the number of droppers per machine is enormous, thus requiring much time and labor in the preparatory operation for inserting warp yarns in the droppers. Further, the severe wear of droppers requires frequent replacement thereof by new ones, resulting in high maintenance costs. Moreover, there is the danger of warp yarns being damaged by droppers.

In recent years, there has been used a system employing a photoelectric device to detect the breakage of a warp yarn and stop the machine. Although this system saves the trouble of performing tedious preparatory operation and replacing droppers inherent in said dropper system, it has the disadvantage that the detection of yarn breakage is unreliable. More particularly, the conventional photoelectric detection system comprises a source of light and a photoelectric element arranged so that a beam of light is formed across the path in which broken warp yarns fall by gravity. With this arrangement, however, a broken warp yarn will often tend to become entangled around another warp yarn and thereby prevented from falling; in such case, the photoelectric device, of course, will not be actuated. Under these circumstances, the detection of warp yarn breakage is liable to be unreliable or delayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has for its object the provision of an apparatus capable of quickly and positively detecting the breakage of a warp yarn and immediately stopping the weaving machine, without resorting to a dropper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a member capable of quickly and positively withdrawing a broken yarn from the system of warp yarns.

A further object of the invention is to provide a member whereby a broken warp yarn which has been withdrawn from the system of warp yarns is positively conveyed to the detecting position of the breakage detecting device.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a member capable of withdrawing a broken warp yarn from the system of warp yarns without damaging the unbroken warp yarns.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which allows a warp yarn breakage detecting apparatus to be mechanically or electrically connected to the automatic stop motion mechanism of a weaving machine.

Other merits and details of the construction will be made clear in the following embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the weaving section of a weaving machine showing a first embodiment of the present inventive apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present inventive apparatus used in said first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the operation of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a second embodiment of the present inventive apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a third em bodiment of the present inventive apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the operation thereof;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a fourth embodiment of the present inventive apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a brush roller;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the present inventive apparatus;

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a sixth embodiment of the present inventive apparatus;

FIG. I] is a front view of broken warp yarn arresting members used in the sixth embodiment; and

FIG. I2 is a schematic side view ofa seventh embodiment of the present inventive apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically stopping a weaving machine upon breakage of a warp yarn comprising broken warp yarn arresting means including a plurality ofbroken warp yarn arresting members set into a common base opposed to a system of warp yarns, said base being moved so as to arrest any broken warp yarns from said system of warp yarns, and warp yarn breakage detecting means for detecting the broken warp yarn thus arrested to actuate the automatic stop motion mechanism of the weaving machine.

The present invention will now be described in more detaid with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments thereof.

In FIG. I, a breast beam 1, heddles 2, lease rods 3 and back beam 4' constitute the weaving section of a weaving machine, as is known in the art. Warp yarns 5 are fed over the back beam 4 toward the breast beam 1, during which they are subjected to shedding motion by means of the heddles 2.

In FIG. I, the broken warp yarn arresting means of the present invention is shown in the form of a brush roller 6.

The brush roller 6 is associated with the warp yarn system 5 between the heddles 5 and lease rods 3 and positioned so that it may arrest any broken warp yarns from the warp yarn system. In FIG. 1 single such brush roller is shown provided below the warp yarn system. Such brush roller may be provided above the warp yarn system or such rollers may be provided both above and below the warp yarn system 5. As a further alternative, a plurality of such brush rollers. may be arranged side by side between the heddles 2 and lease rod 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, said brush roller 6 comprises a roller body 7 serving as a base, and bristles 8 serving as broken warp yarn arresting bodies and set into said roller body. The bristles are arranged in a single row or a plurality of suitably spaced rows extending over a distance slightly greater than the width of the warp yarn system 5.

The brush roller 6 is rotated in the same direction as or in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of warp yarns with the tips of the bristles 8 close to or in contact with the warp yarn system 5, so that when a warp yarn is broken, it is immediately arrested by the bristles and wrapped around the roller body 7.

The means for rotating the brush roller may be arranged to be supplied with power from the drive of the weaving machine or alternatively a separate motor may be employed.

Whether the tips of the bristles 8 on the brush roller 6 are to be brought close to or in contact with the warp yarn system depends on the nature of warp yarns to be used and on the warp yarn density. When the brush roller is used with the tips of bristles 8 close to the warp yarn system, it is possible to avoid the napping of warp yarns. The manner of arresting broken warp yarns in this case is such that when the end portion of a broken warp yarn is projecting outwardly of the warp yarn system or an intermediate portion of a broken warp yarn is slackened and projecting outwardly of the warp yarn system, such projecting portion will be arrested by the tips of bristles 8.

When the tips of bristles 8 are in contact with the warp yarn system 5, the arrest of broken warp yarn can be effected more reliably. If the tips of bristles are arranged to penetrate the warp yarn system to some extent, the bristles will be able to divide or separate the warp yarns as well as withdraw broken warp yarns.

The warp yarn breakage detecting means will now be described. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the means is incorporated into the brush roller 6 which is the broken warp yarn arresting means. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a microswitch 10 is attached to one end of the roller body 7 of the brush roller 6 through an attachment plate 9, said microswitch having an actuator element 11 which normally maintains the microswitch in its inactive posi tion by means of a spring 12. A wire 13 having one end thereof fixed to said actuator element 11 is stretched longitudinally of and parallel to the roller body 7. The other end of the wire is joined to a disc 14 fixed to the other end of the roller body 7, with a tension adjusting screw 15 applied to the wire to adjust the wire tension. As the wire 13, use is made of a wire which is unexpandable and has a low friction coefficient and a high strength, for example, a stainless steel wire. The wire is supported at intermediate points thereof by support rods 16 fixed to the roller body 7.

The roller body 7, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises an electrically conductive metal pipe 18 inserted in an electrically non-conductive synthetic resin pipe 19. The supply of electricity to the microswitch 10 is effected through a structure comprising a carbon brush 20 connected to a power source, a slip ring 21 which is secured to the roller body 7 and with which said carbon brush is contacted, said slip ring being connected to one terminal of the microswitch, said metal pipe forming the core of said roller body being connected to the other terminal of the microswitch, the latter being grounded through said metal pipe.

The wire 13 is stretched under such a tension as to counteract the force of the spring 12 which acts on the actuator element 11. Normally, the wire 13 is held under tension and in this condition the microswitch 10 is held in its inactive position.

As a result of the arrangement described above, the wire 13 is rotated together with the brush roller 6, but

it will be noted that the wire is carried in such a position as not to contact the warp yarn system 5 during rotation.

Further, the microswitch 10 is electrically connected to the automatic stop motion mechanism of the weaving machine.

Now, if a warp yarn is broken for one cause or another, its end is arrested by the bristles 8 of the brush roller 6 rotating under the warp yarn system 5, as shown in FIG. 3. The rotation of the brush roller results in the arrested broken warp yarn being wrapped around the brush roller and also around the wire 13 stretched parallel to the brush roller. Since such broken warp yarn is continuous toward the lease rods 3, the wrapping of it around the brush roller 6 caused by the rotation of the latter results in a tension being produced on the broken warp yarn, thereby flexing the wire 13, whereupon the actuator element 11 of the microswitch 10 is pulled against the force of the spring 12. As a result, the automatic stop motion mechanism of the weaving machine is actuated to stop the operation of the machine.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Whereas in the preceding embodiment the broken warp yarn detecting means has been shown incorporated in the broken warp yarn arresting means, in the second embodiment these two means are separately provided.

Thus, in FIG. 4, the broken warp yarn arresting means comprises a brush roller 25 which consists of bristles 23 serving as broken warp yarn arresting bodies arranged in a row or a plurality of rows, and set into a roller body 24 serving as a base. The broken warp yarn detecting means comprises a sensing bar 28 supported at opposite ends thereof by an actuator element 27 for a microswitch 26. The sensing bar is slightly longer than the width of the warp yarn system 5 and disposed close to the latter.

The second embodiment also works on the principle of arresting a broken warp yarn by the bristles 23 of the brush roller 25, Wrapping it around the roller body 24, depressing the sensing bar 28 by the tension produced on the broken -warp yarn, actuating the mciroswitch 26 by the actuator element 27 to actuate the automatic stop motion mechansim of the weaving machine, thereby stopping the machine. In addition, the swing rod of the stop mechanism of the conventional dropper type may be utilized and an actuator rod adapted to interfere with the movement of the swing rod upon breakage of a warp yarn may be provided so that the tension on the broken warp yarn may directly or indirectly act on said actuator element to mechanically stop the machine.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a third embodiment of the invention. The reference characters for the main parts of the weaving section of the weaving machine are the same as in FIG. 1.

In this embodiment, the broken warp yarn arresting means comprises a brush roller 32 consisting of a row of bristles 31 set into a roller body 30, while the warp yarn breakage detecting means shown separate from said means comprises a photoelectric detecting device 35 consisting of a source of light 33 and a light receiver 34.

The manner in which a broken warp yarn from the warp yarn system 5 is arrested by said brush roller 32 is the same as described above. However, since the bristles 31 are arranged in a single row, a broken warp yarn arrested by the bristles 31 and wrapped around the roller body 30 eventually comes to be stretched always at a fixed position between the brush roller 32 and lease rods 3. This makes it easier to determine the position of installation of the photoelectric detecting device 35 and to secure quick and positive detection of a broken warp yarn. More particularly, in the case where said bristles 31 are set into the brush roller 32 around the entire periphery thereof, the position where a broken warp yarn arrested by the bristles is stretched tends to vary, so that it becomes difficultto determine the position of installation of the photoelectric detecting device.

With the third embodiment described above, in order to actuate the warp yarn breakage detecting means, the tension on a broken warp yarn is not utilized but instead it is only necessary to cause the broken warp yarn to be brought intoor pass through'the detecting position. That is, the photoelectric detecting device can be actuated by interupting the optical path thereof by means of a broken warp yarn.

FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention, wherein the broken warp yarn arresting means, as shown in FIG. 8, comprises a brush roller 39 consisting of one or two rows or a plurality of parallel rows of bristles 37 extending longitudinally of and set into a roller body 36 and needlelike bodies 38 slightly longer than the bristles and set into said roller body in a row or a plurality of rows in the form of a comb with coarsely spaced teeth, while the warp yarn breakage detecting means comprises a sensing bar 40 and a microswitch 41 which have already been described above.

The needle-like bodies set into the brush roller are smooth-surfaced hard needles such as chrome plated iron needles and are about mm longer than the bristles.

The brush roller 39 is disposed along the warp yarn system 5 between the heddles and lease rods with the tips of the bristles brought close to or in contact with the warp yarn system and with the tips of the needles penetrating the warp yarn system, and in this condition the brush roller is rotated in the same direction as or in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the warp yarn system.

According to the fourth embodiment described above, a broken warp yarn from the warp yarn system is picked up by the tips of the needle-like bodies to be withdrawn from the warp yarn system and it is then arrested by the bristles 37 to be wrapped around the roller body 36, whereby it is stretched between the roller body and lease rods to produce a tension thereon by which the sensing bar 40 is depressed to actuate the microswitch 40, thus causing a solenoid 44 to actuate the stop lever 43 of the automatic stop motion mechanism 42 of the weaving machine, thereby stopping the machine.

Unlike the bristles 37, the needle-like bodies 38 will penetrate the warp yarn system 5 without fail. Therefore, even if the warp yarn density is high, the needlelike bodies are capable of penetrating the warp yarn system to withdraw broken warp yarns in a reliable manner.

If the bristles 37 alone are used to arrest broken warp yarns, they will not penetrate the warp yarn system when the warp yarn density is high since the bristles are flexible. Therefore, when the end of a broken warp yarn projects into the inside of the warp yarn system, there will be times when such broken warp yarn cannot be arrested. However, since the needle-like bodies 38 will penetrate the warp yarn system without fail, such broken warp yarn can be easily arrested and with drawn.

FIG. 9 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention. Whereas in the preceding fourth embodiment described above the broken warp yarn arresting means and warp yarn breakage detecting means are provided separately from each other, in this embodiment the warp yarn breakage detecting means is incorporated into the broken warp yarn arresting means. The warp yarn breakage detecting means is the same as that described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, and the broken warp yarn arresting means is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 8. Thus, in FIG. 9, a wire 45 is stretched parallel to a roller body 36 and connected at one end thereof to a disc mounted on one end of the roller body and at the other end to the actuator element 47 of a microswitch 46. The microswitch is attached to one end of the roller body 36 through an attachment,

plate 49, while the actuator element 47 cooperates with a spring 50 to maintain the microswitch normally inactive.

In order to supply electricity to the microswitch 46, one terminalthereof is connected to a power source through a slip ring 51 and a carbon brush 52 while the other terminal is grounded. Thus, the roller body 36 comprises a core in the form of an electrically conductive metal pipe 53 over which is fitted an electrically non-conductive synthetic resin pipe 54 through which one terminal of said microswitch is grounded.

With the fifth embodiment described above, the rotation of the roller body causes the needle-like bodies 38 to withdraw a broken warp yarn from the warp yarn system, whereupon said yarn is arrested by the bristles 37 and wrapped around the roller body. As a result, the broken warp yarn is stretched between the roller body and lease rods, thereby flexing the wire 45. The flexure of wire causes the actuator element 47 of the microswitch 46 to be pulled against the force of the spring 50, thereby actuating the automatic stop motion mechanism of the weaving machine.

FIG. 10 shows a sixth embodiment of the invention,

' wherein the reference characters for the main members of the weaving section of a weaving machine are the same as those used in FIG. l.

In this embodiment, the broken warp yarn arresting means comprises needle-like bodies 56 set into a roller body 55 in a comb fashion, while the warp yarn breakage detecting means comprises a photoelectric detecting device 57.

The needle-like bodies 56 set into the roller body in a comb fashion are smooth-surfaced hard needles such as chrome plated iron needles. As shown in FIG. 11, they are set into the roller body in a single row after the fashion of a comb with relatively coarsely spaced teeth as compared with the warp yarn density. Further, the photoelectric detecting device 57 is the same as that shown in FIG. 6.

With the sixth embodiment described above, the roller body 55 is rotated and the needle-like bodies 56 penetrate the warp yarn system 5 to pick up and withdraw a broken warp yarn, so that the broken warp yarn thus withdrawn interrupts the optical path of the photoelectric detecting device 57, whereupon the latter is actuated to operate the automatic stop motion mechanism of theweaving machine. 7

FIG. l2'shows a seventh embodiment of the-invention, wherein a brush roller 58 is installed adjacent to the roller body 55 used in the preceding sixth embodiment, so that a broken warp yarn withdrawn by the to comb the warp yarn system by the needle-like bodies 56 in the'form ofa comb, it is possible to positively and quickly withdraw a broken warp yarn. Further, since the broken-warp yarn'thus'withdrawn is carried to the detecting region of the warp yarn breakage detecting means, the breakage ofa warp can be quickly and positively detected.

"ln withdrawing a broken warp yarn from the warp yarn system, since the latter is combed by the needlelike bodies in the form of a comb with coarsely spaced teeth as compared with the warp yarn density, it is easy for the needle-like bodies to penetrate the warp yarn system even if the warp yarn density is high. Combing can be smoothly carried out and withdrawal of a broken warp yarn from the warp yarn system is facilitated. Since the needle-like bodies have a hard smooth sur,- face, there is little danger of damaging warp yarns.

Since the end of a broken warp yarn is often laterally bent and adheres to other warp yarns, the broken warpv yarn can be positively withdrawn even if every warp yarn is not combed. That is, even if a. comb-like body with relatively coarsely spaced teeth'as compared with the warp yarn density is used, the broken warp yarn can be positively picked up and withdrawn.

' In the embodiments.- described so far, the broken warp yarn withdrawing members have been shown in theform of bristles or needle-like bodies, but they may be loop-shaped withdrawing bodies set into a roller surface in a row or a plurality of rows-Such loop-shaped withdrawing bodies may be made of a hard material or aslightly less hard material having elasticity. At any rate, the use-of such loop-shaped withdrawing bodies will decrease the possibility of warp yarns being damaged and facilitate the withdrawal of. broken warp yarns. l

I Although this invention has been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularlity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus associated with a weaving machine for detecting the break of a warp yarn and for automatically actuating the stop motion mechanism of a weaving machine upon such a break comprising a rotatable base member positioned adjacent to and in transverse relationship to the movement of a system of :warp

yarns, at least one linear row of bristles positioned at one end in said base member and extending for at least the'width of the system of warp yarns, the free ends of said bristles extending at least close to the path of movement of the system of warp yarns so that a broken warp yarn in said system of warp yarns will be engaged by at least one of said bristles, switch means operatively connected to the stop motion mechanism'of a weaving machine and associated with said base, member adjacent one end thereof, wire means connected at one end to the actuating mechanism of said switch means and stretching across and in spaced, parallel relationship to said base member, wire support means mounted on said base member and supporting and maintaining said wire means in an elongated stretched state. so, that, upon rotation of said base member, said wire means and said bristles will rotate with said base member but said wire means will not engage the warp yarn system, whereby upon the break of a warp yarn, the broken yarn will, be engaged by at. least one bristle andwill causes the wire means to operate the actuating means of said switch means to stop the weavingjmach ine.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said linear row of bristles extend from said base member on one side thereof and said wire means along the diametrically opposed other side of said base member.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim wherein said linear, row of bristles is a single linear row.

4, Apparatus in accordance with claim l, wherein a linear row of needle elements is positioned at one end to said base member and in spaced relationship to the linear row of bristles, said linear row of needle elements extending for at least the width of the system of warp yarns, said needle elements being of a length greater than the length of the bristles so that said needle elements will penetrate the system of warp yarns.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein saidlinearrow of needleelements is positioned on said base member along a line lying between siad linear row of bristles and said; wire means. 

1. Apparatus associated with a weaving machine for detecting the break of a warp yarn and for automatically actuating the stop motion mechanism of a weaving machine upon such a break comprising a rotatable base member positioned adjacent to and in transverse relationship to the movement of a system of warp yarns, at least one linear row of bristles positioned at one end in said base member and extending for at least the width of the system of warp yarns, the free ends of said bristles extending at least close to the path of movement of the system of warp yarns so that a broken warp yarn in said system of warp yarns will be enGaged by at least one of said bristles, switch means operatively connected to the stop motion mechanism of a weaving machine and associated with said base member adjacent one end thereof, wire means connected at one end to the actuating mechanism of said switch means and stretching across and in spaced, parallel relationship to said base member, wire support means mounted on said base member and supporting and maintaining said wire means in an elongated stretched state so that, upon rotation of said base member, said wire means and said bristles will rotate with said base member but said wire means will not engage the warp yarn system, whereby upon the break of a warp yarn, the broken yarn will be engaged by at least one bristle and will thereafter be wound around said base member and said wire means until the created tension on said wire means causes the wire means to operate the actuating means of said switch means to stop the weaving machine.
 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said linear row of bristles extend from said base member on one side thereof and said wire means along the diametrically opposed other side of said base member.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said linear row of bristles is a single linear row.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a linear row of needle elements is positioned at one end to said base member and in spaced relationship to the linear row of bristles, said linear row of needle elements extending for at least the width of the system of warp yarns, said needle elements being of a length greater than the length of the bristles so that said needle elements will penetrate the system of warp yarns.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said linear row of needle elements is positioned on said base member along a line lying between siad linear row of bristles and said wire means. 